Preparing a person for surgery is commonly called “prepping”. It is typical to scrub the target body portion of the patient with an antiseptic solution. Antiseptic solutions are typically dispensed from a vessel. It is necessary for that vessel to be sterile and sealed prior to use. Commonly employed applicators use an ampoule containing the antiseptic liquid. The ampoule is broken just prior to application. A typical example of such an applicator is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,801. The problem with such applicators is that they require breaking of the tip of the ampoule to release antiseptic fluid. The attendant consequences of having broken ampoule glass are risk of damage to the dispenser allowing glass to contact the patient, risking injury, clogging, and poor flow to the applicator pad or sponge.
In order to overcome this problem, dispensers have been designed which use sealing membranes as opposed to an ampoule. However, the problem with current dispensers that use sealing membranes is that the membranes are often subject to accidental rupture resulting in flow of the antiseptic fluid when it is not desired. This is wasteful. One solution to this problem of accidental or unwanted activation of the dispenser system is expressed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,552. However, the solution to the problem expressed in this patent is complex, and high in expense to manufacture.
It can be seen therefore that there is a real and continuing need for a liquid applicator/dispenser used for pre and post operative preparation which is easy of manufacture, durable in use, cost effective and one which has minimized risk of accidental rupture of the sealing membrane. This invention has as its primary objective the fulfillment of each of these real and continuing needs.